1

The purpose of this essay is to help teachers have a better understanding as to

why young people misbehave in school. By evaluating and synthesising the opinions of a
teacher, a pre-service teacher, recent high school graduates, and a father; against
contemporary educational research into the causes and influences of misbehaviour in
secondary schools. Teachers will understand how to implement strategies to keep young
people engaged and reduce misbehaviour in the classroom. Comment [RP1]: Although a good
attempt at an introduction, it is almost a
copy of the Learning Guide. How many
interviewees can you count? So it is
inaccurate. The last sentence implies that
Sullivan, Johnson, Owens, Conway’s (2014) ‘Punish Them or Engage Them? the main (only) way to reduce
misbehaviour is by maintaining students
Teachers’ Views of Unproductive Student Behaviours in the Classroom’ is a useful and engaged. Is it?
Will you understand HOW to implement
strategies by interviewing and reading or
relevant Australian educational article. The implication of this article in relation to why WHICH strategies to implement and why
depending on the probable causes you
students misbehave; is it identifies types of student misbehaviour and suggests teachers are looking at?
Comment [RP2]: Not in APA format.
consider their classrooms as an “ecosystem” (p.46) in order to create an engaging space You do not need to write the name of the
article each time you cite it. Cite all
which is productive for students in order to reduce misbehaviour in the classroom. authors up to 5 when citing the first time
eg: Sullivan, Johnson, Owens and Conway
While, Cothran, Kulinna and Garrahy (2009) article, ‘Attributions for and (2014). Any subsequent times you are
referring to the same article cite as:
Sullivan et al (2014). More than 5 list the
Consequences of Student Behaviour’ infers students misbehave because they are seeking first 5 then et al.

their teachers and peers attention or when they become bored. Unlike other Comment [RP3]: Which is what?
Define key terms
educational article’s Cothran et al suggests students who have poor communication with Comment [RP4]: Which is what?
Comment [RP5]: This is what to do
their parents are more likely to misbehave in class. about misbehaviour, not why it occurs.
How does ecosystem approach increase
Demanet & Van Houtee’s (2012) modern article, ‘Teachers’ attitudes and engagement? How does engagement
affect behaviour?
students’ opposition. School misconduct as a reaction to teachers’ diminished effort and Comment [RP6]: Watch your
grammar.
affect’, is modern and relevant because it researches beyond the Pygmalion effect. The Comment [RP7]: Great, how? That is
what kind of poor communication? And
article stresses a teacher’s attitude and an expectation of a student significantly how may this be related to the
classroom?
influences students’ behaviour and application to learning at school. Therefore, the Comment [RP8]: Which is what?

implication of this article for teachers is building positive relationships and expectations
for students can reduce young people’s misbehaviour in the classroom. Comment [RP9]: Why?

Another highly relevant article is Lin & Yi, Unhealthy Sleep Practises, conduct
Problems, and Daytime Functioning During Adolescence’ (2014) because it relates
students misbehaviour to a lack of sleep due to biological and social factors. The article
implies that inadequate amounts and broken sleep affect a student’s wellbeing,
academic performance, concentration and increases misconduct in the classroom. Comment [RP10]: This is better. The
mechanism by which the poor behaviour
occurs is being fleshed out a bit.
 2

McGrath & Van Bergen’s article, ’Who, when, why and to what end? Students at
risk of negative student- teacher relationships and their outcomes’ (2014) is insightful
and implicates there a correlation between student misbehaviour and boredom; while
also suggesting teachers attitudes and expectations towards their students influences
misbehaviour in the classroom. Comment [RP11]: So is it both? Bored
with what?

HERE WE GET TO THE END OF WHAT IS REALLY A LIST OF JOURNALS THAT WERE LOOKED
AT. THIS IS NOT A LITERATURE REVIEW. THE STUDENT MAY AS WELL JUST COPY THE
ABSTRACTS AND LISTED THEM HERE. THERE IS NO ATTEMPT TO SYNTHESISE THE
LITERATURE BY THIS STUDENT. THAT IS, THERE IS NO ATTEMPT TO COMBINE THE
DIFFERENT ARTICLES TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL OPINION OF WHAT IS BEHIND STUDENT
MISBEHAVIOUR. THIS KIND OF WRITING DOESN’T DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING
OF THE TOPIC BEING DISCUSSED.

The interviews were conducted professionally, all interviewee’s had to read and
sign the consent form before the interview commenced. The interviews were conducted Comment [RP12]: An attempt is made
to state that ethical protocols were
followed.
in the Library Study Rooms for privacy. Once the opening question was answered and
recorded, the subsequent questions were asked and recorded. At the end of the
interview it was reiterated that interviewee’s identifies would not be cited in the essay. Comment [RP13]: Pay attention to
typos.
The candidature of the interviewees were evenly balanced by gender; three males and
three females were interviewed. The ages of the interviewees ranged from nineteen to
fifty-four. Below is information about the interviewee’s gender, age and occupation.

M1 Male- 24 Telecommunications Engineer (Migrated to Australia from

India at 10 years of age)
M2 Male- 19 Events Assistant. Studying a degree in Applied Finance,
Commerce, and Accounting
M3 . Male- 53 ICT Systems Administrator and father
F1 Female-36. Flight Attendant and parent
F2 Female- 37.Graduate Teacher and single parent
F3 Female-24. Credit Card Specialist and Pre-Service Teacher. Comment [RP14]: Good way of
summarising who was interviewed. Not
the only way.
After the interview process all of the interviewee’s answers were grouped into Comment [RP15]: How was this
done? Were the responses read from
major themes such as; boredom, attention seeking, peer pressure, and poor sleeping each of the interviewees and then
sorted? How were the themes arrived at?
patterns. Were the themes just made up. Were
they the most frequent thing said? Give
an idea of how you extracted the themes.
 3

All of the interviewees believed that young people misbehave at school when they
become bored by the subject, a lesson or lesson activity. M1 related his opinion was to Comment [RP16]: When you read the
quotes below you see there are three
parts to this theme boredom; what
why young people misbehaved from his personal experience as a student and said, “I causes the boredom: work being too
hard; and the structural aspects of school
would act up in English class because it was too hard and not interesting”. Likewise being imposed on students. The student
fails to pick this up.
interviewee M2 stated he saw students, “zone out” during maths lessons and become a
distraction to the class when they were bored. BOREDOM While F3 stated, “students
cognitive abilities may cause them to become bored when content is too hard COGNITIVE
ABILITY.” Interestingly, F1 believed that the influx of ICT devices like iPads and computers Comment [RP17]: This is good use of
quotes
which are, “used to play games reduces students attention in class towards teachers.”
While, F2 also found young people misbehave when bored and become bored because,
“they are stuck in compulsory classes, lack of subject opportunity, and are stuck at school
until they turn seventeen. IMPOSITIONS ON STUDENTS” Comment [RP18]: Is this boredom or
structural constraints?
Attention seeking was another common response from the interviewees when
asked, “Why do young people misbehave?” Four out of the six interviewees associated
misbehaviour with wanting to gain the attention of peers and teachers. M2 a recent high
school graduate stated, “students muck up in class because they try to get the teachers
attention.” When asked, how and why students want the teacher’s attention they
answered, “by breaking the rules so that the student looks cool, because everyone wants
to be the ‘cool kid’ and have their peers respect.” While M3 a father of one child believes
schools are a place to socialise and believe that students misbehave because “they are
trying to have fun.” Comment [RP19]: This is an
acceptable way to summarise themes
using quotes. Which you must do.
Another common theme which emerged from the interviews was both male and However when you read the data
(quotes) is it “attention seeking” or
female interviewee’s identified that students misbehave due to peer pressure and the misbehaviour as a form of socialising
that jumps out at you? Read the next
want to be accepted by their peers. M2 stated, “if one student mucks up then more will paragraph.

follow.” While M2 considers that young people misbehave to, “fit, stereotypes like the
class clown, and the cool kid.” While interviewee F2 believes as part of student’s
biopsychosocial sphere, “students misbehave because they want to impress other
students and belong at school.”
The final theme to emerge from multiple interviewees about ‘why young people
misbehaving at school?’ was irregular sleeping patterns causes’ misbehaviour. F3 believed
young people need to be understood as adolescents who prioritise their social live and
relationships over sleeping and are more likely to be “sleep deprived” and irritable in
 4

classroom settings. While F1 believed sleep affects student’s concentration and their
behaviour in class.
THE EVALUATION BY THIS STUDENT OF THE INTERVIEWS WAS VERY BASIC. THEY
DID USE QUOTES APPROPRIATELY HOWEVER THEY FAILED TO IDENTIFY SUBTHEMES. IT IS
ALSO CLEAR THAT THE THEMES WERE MADE TO RESEMBLE THE LITERATURE REVIEW OR
VICE VERSA. IT SHOWS THAT THEY WERE NOT INDEPENDENT AND DEMONSTRATES LACK
OF ANALYSIS AND EFFORT IN THE EXECUTION OF THE REPORT.

Every interviewee believed boredom was the greatest factor for young people
misbehaving in the classroom. This belief is supported by Cothran, Kulinna and Garrahy
(2009) article which publishes student’s perceptions of the subject and its activities
influenced their behaviour. Therefore, if a student finds the subject and the lessons boring
they are more likely to misbehave and distract other class members. The significance of
this article to teachers is it includes the following statements of Tim the student, “When
it’s boring, we’re more likely to be bad” and Roberto the teacher states, “Kids act up,
‘cause they’re real bored of it” (p.161). The effect of including these quotations into the
article the article maintains it relevance because the authors have provided organic
insight and evidence to support their conclusions about boredom increasing student’s
misbehaviour in the classroom. Comment [RP20]: Here and in the
rest of this section, the student is trying
to bring the articles and interviews
Furthermore, Sullivan, Owens and Conway’s (date needed) article which based on together, however it’s not working. The
expression is poor and the paragraph is
contemporary Australian students and teachers similarly recognises the correlation difficult to understand. It shows that the
student doesn’t grasp the fact that the
between “students disengaged from learning and disengaged behaviours” (p.53). More important aspect at this point is to
compare and contrast the literature
review and the interviews. However
so, the article notes the difficulty in managing and reducing misbehaviour and because both the interviews and the
literature review were treated as lists
disengagement. Therefore the article relates to the opinions of M1 and M2 who believed (rather than an attempt to get at
underlying ideas) now the student is
students misbehave when they find a subject boring of challenging. The implication and again just listing the findings that match
each other. So boredom goes with
boredom literature and etc etc. Due to
significance of this article is found its recommendations for teachers to consider the this there is little scope to contrast, or
compare, which misses the point of the
classroom as an “ecosystem focusing on the physical environment, teacher characteristic, assessment. The student is instead using
the literature to confirm the theme
curriculum and pedagogy” (p.46). Therefore, both articles and the interviewee’s beliefs findings, this is not what was asked in
this report. It turns this section of the
report into a repeat of the previous two
strongly emphasise young people misbehave and become disengaged when they consider sections. As you have probably noticed if
the first two sections are done poorly
a subject or a lesson to be boring. this section suffers. This section is worth
30% of your mark and you won’t get any
The majority of male and female interviewee’s believed young people misbehave of it by simply repeating what was in the
previous two sections.
in order to gain the attention of their peers and the teacher. For instance, M3 a father Comment [RP21]: When quoting use
page numbers.
believed young people misbehave because school is a social environment in order to
“differentiate, a student might misbehave in the class.” This belief that students
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misbehave to gain social status is reinforced in Cothran, Kulinna and Garrahy (2009)
article and is referred to as “Look at me” (p.160). The similarity between interviewee M3
and the article reinforces young people misbehaving is that they do so to increase their
social status.
During adolescence it is common for “people to experience irregular” sleeping
patterns, the impact of these sleeping patterns can lead to young people misbehaving at
school (Lamberg, 1997, p.26). Both interviewee F2 and F3 thought irregular sleep
negatively affects a young person’s behaviour in the classroom. Interviewee F2 believes
sleep affects misbehaviour in school is relevant because she is a mother and a graduate
teacher who interacts with young people every day in a school and home environment.
The thought that irregular sleeping patterns affects the behaviour of young people at
school is supported by Lin and Yi (2014) article based on qualitative research to
investigate the affects of irregular sleeping patterns of young people in the classroom. The Comment [RP22]: Watch typos

results from their research found, a correlation between inadequate amounts of sleep and
student’s poorer academic performance and increases of defiant attitudes compared to
their classmates who received adequate amounts of sleep (p.441). Therefore, this article
stresses young people may be misbehaving in the classroom because they are tired due to
insufficient hours of sleeping and irregular sleeping patterns.
During the interview process none of the interviewee’s specifically considered the
relationships between students and teachers as a contributing factor to young people’s
misbehaviour in the classroom. Only M1 mentioned from his experience that it was easier Comment [RP23]: This is a good
point. The problem is that although this
article was mentioned in the beginning,
to misbehave in class when there was a causal or a quiet teacher. However, the research the student didn’t highlight any of these
points then. Introducing them now, is ok
article by Demanet and Van Houtte (2012) specially focuses on the impact teachers but this paragraph would have been
much better at the start.
expectations and beliefs have upon the ways students behave in the classroom and their
qualitative assessment considers stress theory and Rosenthal and Jacobson’s (1968)
Pygmalion effect. The findings of Demanet and Van Houtte research concluded that for Comment [RP24]: Again no definition

students, “attending schools where teachers consider students to be less teachable have a
higher likelihood of being deviant” (p.866). Therefore, it is clear is a school has a positive Comment [RP25]: Avoid quoting from
articles unless absolutely necessary.
teachable opinion and relationship with their students; then students are less likely to
misbehave in the classroom. (OLD: 149 words) Comment [RP26]: Look at my
suggestion next
 6

SUGGESTION FOR THIS PARAGRAPH: As mentioned earlier, student’s misbehaviour

is more likely in the presence of low student expectations by the teacher (Demanet & Van
Houtte, 2012). Other than comments by M1 in relation to his experience that it was
easier to misbehave in class when there was a causal or a quiet teacher, no other
interviewees mentioned the importance of teacher expectations or relationships on
student behaviour. (NEW: 64 words) Comment [RP27]: This is an example
of how the above paragraph (149 words)
could be expressed succinctly (64 words)
in a way which is making a point and
comparing and contrasting the literature
The process of interviewing people from diverse occupations and tertiary and interviews. But only if you had done
the lit review properly. Note: “As
education and then reading educational based research to gain a board insight as to why mentioned earlier …” the earlier is the lit
review.
young people misbehave is very useful and informative for teachers. The most significant Comment [RP28]: Watch typos

reason as to why young people misbehave to emerge from the interviews and the articles
is student’s become disengaged when a subject or a lesson is considered boring. Knowing Comment [RP29]: No it wasn’t there
were a number of other points made.
In this section the student is intended to
this teacher’s should try to make lessons and activates engaging. Sullivan, Owens and provide implications for praxis (30%).
But again because there has not been an
Conway (2014) ecological model is useful for teachers to use in their pedagogy to promote attempt to bring the various sources of
information into a statement that brings
student engagement and reduce the likelihood of misbehaviour in the classroom. More together what is common and not, the
student is going to again start listing the
findings offering nothing new.
so, using a variety of ICT devices, audio, visual and kinaesthetic stimulus as tools for
Comment [RP30]: Which is what?
learning to engage and sustain student’s attention and reduce boredom which leads to Comment [RP31]: I thought this was
causing students to pay less attention to
misbehaviour. Another way to engage students could be by using surveys and open class teachers. This is inconsistent with the
student interview findings. This suggests
discussions. For example, in Stage 6 teachers could allow students to decide on what that the student doesn’t understand their
own findings.
optimal subjects and case studies they learn about. While in Stage 4 and 5 project based Comment [RP32]: Now the student is
throwing out idea after idea.
activities like making a documentary, a newspaper or magazine articles may be engaging Furthermore they are not described or
explained, so it is not possible to know
whether the student knows how to use
activities for students to do. them or when to use them. There is no
critical appraisal of the costs and benefits
From the interviews and educational articles it is known young people may of the strategies being offered. This is
occurring because the student hasn’t
misbehave because they are trying to gain the teachers and students attention in an effort chosen and argued for a central idea to
explain student misbehaviour.
to increase their social status. The relevance of this information to teachers is they are
aware students are looking for attention from their peers and the teacher. Therefore,
teachers can give positive reinforcement and compliments to students. Hopefully, this
reduces students need to misbehave in order to gain attention and reduces misbehaviour
Comment [RP33]: Repetitive, this was
in the classroom. stated at the start of the report. What are
the implications of students seeking
SUGGESTION: “Students clowning around to get others attention, including mine, attention for: personal awareness, which
lead to teaching practice at the classroom
may disrupt the class and may lead to misbehaviour, however now I understand that this and whole school level. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of such
awareness and practice? See my
may not always be just because they are being purposely bad. Adolescents seek affiliation suggestion.
 7

and connectedness with both peers and adults around them. Knowing the importance of
my expectations and my relationship with that student on behaviour, I think it would be
important for me to use opportunities to recognise the student and let them know that
their relationship with me is also important. I would do this, by greeting them or
discussing things that interest them, or letting them know that I have high expectations
for their learning. I would also communicate high behavioural expectations such as being
on task and not disrupting others. Some student may find this unusual, so I am sure it
won’t work straight away. Also it may take effort and time, however promoting this as
part of a whole school process in which the school could recognise students for various
achievements (not just sports) and in different ways (not just certificates) may create an a
high expectations environment for all students and increase positive relationships
between students and staff. Comment [RP34]: I think this
example integrates what the student
found in their research and applies it to
their practice. It explains how they came
to choose what to do based on what was
While Demanet et al. (2012) article is very relevant to pre-service teachers and learnt in the process of doing the report.
It doesn’t borrow other’s theories (but
their pedagogy because it finds a direct correlation between teacher’s relationships and you can if you wish) and it clearly links it
to whole school practices and it
acknowledging that it may not work all
expectations with their students influencing student’s behaviour. Therefore, it is the time due to students not being used
to it and the effort that it will take to
important when teaching to build rapport with students and have high expectations of implement.
Please note that I think that this could
students so they can make progress in the classroom. For example, teachers could learn still be better written. Also yes you can
use first person in this section if you
wish.
student’s names and find out about students interests and incorporate them into the
lesson when possible. Or teachers can develop high expectations of students by providing
constructive feedback on class work and assignments so they can improve. Lin and Yu’s
(2014) article about the implications of sleeping habits and student misbehaviour is
important. In order to collaborate and teach students who may be very tired in class is to
do stretches and activities to get have students moving around in order to increase
student’s concentration and engagement in learning. Comment [RP35]: Again, just listing
no integration etc etc.

To conclude, interviewing people about their opinions as to why young people

misbehave and reading academic journals to understand young people misbehave is
insightful for pre-service teachers. The effect of understanding why students misbehave
helps pre-service teachers to reduce factors that contribute to young people
misbehaving in the classroom; and to develop positive professional relationships with
their students.
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9

References: Comment [RP36]: No need for colon

Cothran, D. J., Kulinna, P. H., & Garrahy, D. A. (2009). Attributions for and consequences Comment [RP37]: Remember left
indentation to see the surname first.
of student misbehaviour. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 14(2), 155-167. Formatted: Indent: Left: 0 cm,
Hanging: 1 cm

Demanet, J., & Van Houtte, M. (2012). Teachers' attitudes and students' Comment [RP38]: This not the
correct indentation.
opposition. School misconduct as a reaction to teachers' diminished effort and
affect. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(6), 860-869.

OTHER REFERENCES HAVE BEEN DELETED.